Great food ideas, good service, and excellent quality. Prices aren't too bad.

Great place to eat. It has a nice and quiet setting. We had the smoked salmon ceviche, sea scallops, and the sturgen. The smoked salmon ceviche was a good, but a little on the spicy side. The sturgen was not the greatest. It had big, bold flavors but was very steaky. The sea scallops are amazing here. If I could do it all over again, I would have just ordered nothing but sea scallops. read more

We enjoyed this restaurant on a long weekend vacation to Monterey. 3 out of the 4 in our party ordered the scallops and we all enjoyed out meals. We would go back but there are other choices in the area that are as good or better. read more

This place is pure quality. My parents (foodies) recommended it, so I knew off the bat it would be good, but their food exceeded my expectations. The heirloom tomato salad was beautiful and delicious and the ricotta gnocci was so rich. Our server was attentive and answered questions informatively. I definitely plan to come back here if I'm ever in Monterey again. read more

I was so excited to eat at Passion Fish based not only on great Yelp reviews, but also based on recommendations from friends who have enjoyed a meal there. Perhaps the chef had Wednesday night off, but eating here was a complete Passion Miss a few weeks ago. The Halibut tasted like smoked bacon and it sat on top of what seemed to be ground up rice that had a mushy and sticky consistency. My entree was so bad, when it came time for dessert, I was still hungry, so ordered the pear bread pudding- how the he## does someone mess up bread pudding? And, what pears? The food was so bad, I know why the waiter didn't ask us "how our meal was"..smart guy. I won't be back! Oh, and no liquor license - beer and wine only. read more

Very fresh seafood with almost-retail-priced wine list. Just the place we were looking for after a long day of wine tasting! My husband and I shared the scallop appetizer, which was a bit heavily doused with capers, but the scallop was perfectly cooked, seared and sweet. The dungeness crab salad was very fresh, light but very filling and we also shared the rockfish entree, which was also, perfectly prepared. My only complaint was the noise level. Now, we were there the weekend of the Pebble Beach Food and Wine, so I'm sure there were more ppl than usual, with day drinking involved but regardless, we left with our ears ringing...yes, it was that loud. At the same time, the food and wine made up for the noise level, so definitely worth revisiting! read more

Sturgeon is highly recommended. Wife raved about the goat cheese salad. It was busy on a weeknight, so reservations are recommended. Overall great menu, wine selection, and service. read more

Very fresh seafood with excellent flavor. Everything was seasoned perfectly! Crudo, smoked trout ceviche, spicy fish stew, crab & avocado salad. Staff was also great. read more

Expertly prepared local sustainable fish, wine at cost, grass fed beef and more. All guilt free and the best preparation you can find.

Great ambiance and nice service!! Seemed like a small casual family restaurant, nothing too fancy. I had the scallops and oh boy it was cooked to perfection. Very soft and the seer made the dish. I also enjoyed the sauce. The muscles were plumpy coated with a tomato based sauce, really delicious. The crab cake was fresh because it had no additives, good but nothing unique. read more

Excellent! Quality ingredients / impressive wine and beer menu / sauces to die for... perfect setting for a variety of outings (family meals / dates / etc). Will be back for sure... read more

An exquisite dining experience! We took our college daughter here for a special dinner and were all amazed. From the perfect seating for 3 in a lovely dining room, to the well paced service, to ALL of the delicious courses- fried oysters paired with Navarro Gewertztraminer, Brussel sprouts and the Gorgonzola salad as second courses, then scallops and seared ahi over cauliflower with greens paired with Mayacamas Chardonnay, for our main courses, finished with desserts- lemon panna cotta and ginger creme brûlée with exceptional tea and coffee. Highly recommend this locals favorite Zagut rated restaurant! read more

The food and service was very good. My lady ordered the scallop dish, which was a star. I ordered the sturgeon, which reminded me of an apple based homestyle pork chop dish (believe or not). It was good, but was not what I was looking for. The prices are high, and I'm not a huge fan of the layout (I prefer an open layout). All in all, we had a good experience. read more

Best meal ever! Scallops and lamb breast entrées were superb. PASSIONFISH prepares the some of the most unique dishes on the peninsula. Service by Becky was outstanding! read more

My fiancé and I dined at passion fish last evening. We were told it was the best seafood restaurant in the area. I had the scallops and my fiancé had the tuna. Both dishes were very good! The atmosphere was average age, and the service was efficient but not very warm. The wine list was vast but lacking in California options. We enjoyed a great lemon pana cotta which was excellent. Very glad we had the experience but probably won't return. read more

They were fabulous with my group's various food allergies (soy, vegan, and treenut). We all had a blast and the food was great.

So, you're in Monterey, you're from somewhere else, you want great seafood, you'd expect to find some, not, but right around the corner in pacific grove on lighthouse ave, sits Passionfish, make a reservation come eat, rave about how lucky you are to find it. Good food, great service, had to be! read more

It seems busy on Saturday nights. The wait was estimated to be 30-45 minutes, which was accurate. We were short on time so we only had entrees, and the staff was nice enough to rush our orders. Duck entree: Duck was a bit dry. Broccolini was OK, a little too fibrous to bite through. The little cake on the side was good. Scallops entree: scallops were tender but it barely had a sear. The boiled lettuce was disappointing. The little side cake was good. Not very much in the way of volume of food, and probably better paired with a salad or something. We didn't get bread or anything while we waited, which would have helped. I heard people raving about the alcohol list, but my rating is based on the food alone. read more

Have you ever had that dinning experience where's the ambiance,wait staff, water, wine, salad, entree was so soothing, awesome, flavorful, beautiful, fresh, sustainable, comfortable, approachable, etc.... Well, Passion Fish just delivered that and more. This is my first time eating here with some friends from out of town and after living here for a year I want to kick my self it took me this long to experience the genius and culinary craft of Passion Fish. I'll be back very soon to explore the other delights on the menu. Cindy and Ted, Bravo. read more

Wow the seafood here is so fresh and beautifully prepared. We had the scallops and tuna. Melt in your mouth! Also had a seasonal peach cobbler that was so flavorful! Nice, lively, unpretentious atmosphere. read more

We have being here twice. Must say, they take their fish seriously and delicately. Very complementing sauce, and well cooked to match the fish flavor. Will go again. read more

We were on vacation and decided to eat here after reading reviews. We did not have a reservation, but they accommodated us very quickly. I had sea scallops and creamed rice they both were melt in your mouth delicious. My husband had their seared albacore, it was amazing! It's been several weeks now, and we are still talking about how wonderful our meal was each bite was an explosion of flavors in our mouths. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. My only compliant is that it is not handicap friendly. I use a cane and sometimes a wheelchair. There are stairs and the inside is narrow and it would be hard to fit a wheelchair through if you could get up the stairs with it. If there was another entry to get in we did not see it. read more

This place has amazing food! Everything we ordered had an incredible combination of complex flavors and textures. The scallop appetizer was cooked perfectly tender, the dungeanous crab was sweet and when combined with the spicy arugula, tangy dressing and savory squash made for something special, finally the lamb was tender juicy and so amazing! Highly recommend! Enjoy! read more

The restaurant was quite attractive and the waitress was excellent and answered all of our questions. The biscuit is to die for as well as the black bean fritters. I had the appetizer fried oysters as a main course...yummy and will definitely return. read more

Excellent service, admirable concept and incredibly delicious food from start to finish.

All the 5 star reviews you've read are true. The fish and scallops were the best prepared and tasting seafood I have ever eaten, and I've been all over the world. The service was attentive and perfect. The wine recommendation was wonderful. If you are in Pacific Grove you would be missing a true culinary gem if you do have dinner here. read more

Such a great place, wonderful wines and a staff that knows their stuff! The food is always spectacular! Fantastic to have a place that cares about wines, food, and our environment! read more

This meal was spectacular and so affordable (I live in LA, and there, it would have cost at least twice as much). Everything was so flavorful! read more

Great restaurant. Modern atmosphere. Awesome food. Rasonable price. A long wine list included reasonably priced wines and half bottle sizes. For appetizer, we started with "Spock" shrimp. Some sort of local shrimp. Two pieces of raw shrimp were served on top of coconut rice like sushi. It was delicious! I ordered Snake River Farms Kurobuta pork shank braised in dark beer/apple mustard/baked penne pasta ($22) and husband ordered Tilapia/thyme mashed potatoes/garlic-balsamic vinegar butter ($19). I was very happy with my entrée. Pork was so tender and apple sauce was very tasty. The side Penne pasta evoked the garlicky macaroni and cheese flavors. It was a little bland and too rich to go with the pork shank, but still tasty. Also green collard or swiss chard (I couldn't tell which) was served, which I love with my meat. The fish was just okay, but accompanying mash potatoe was heavenly. If I go there again, I would not order Tilapia again. For dessert, we shared a pear bread pudding and it was the most delicious bread pudding ever. The bread was still crispy and chewy and it went so well with pear and caramel sauce. We had this with recommended tea pairing and was very happy. read more

Quick Summary: "Great seafood at a reasonable price in a comfortable setting." Full Review: Took the wife here for her birthday since she's a fan of seafood and likes the California-Asian mix of things on the menu. I was a fan of their commitment to using only sustainable seafood sources. When we got there at 6:30 on a Saturday night, the place was PACKED. We had to wait an additional 15 minutes or so before we were seated as they had to wait for tables to open up. When we left around 8:15 or so, there were a few empty tables here and there, so definitely come early or later to avoid the crowds. Looking at the menu, the biggest thing that struck me was that the prices were really reasonable. I didn't see any dish over $30 and quite a few dishes that were under $10. Most entrees hovered around $25. Ofcourse, with those prices the portions of each dish weren't huge, but overall the meal was a good bang-for-the-buck experience. All the seafood was super fresh and tasty and cooked really well. The side dishes however were kind of lacking and weren't that memorable at all. With a few minor changes here and there, this place would definitely be a five star in my mind. I'd definitely go back to try some of the other dishes. Menu review: - spot prawn "sushi" - tasty, but the coconut rice and spicey vietnamese sauce overpowered the delicate shrimp flesh - oysters in carrot/ginger sauce - very tasty - fried oysters over arugula - one of the yummier dishes of the night - grilled spot prawns entree with some linguine/egg thing - the prawns were cooked perfectly and the butter/herb dipping sauce was fantastic. the linguine thing was kind of bland and not memorable - scallops with tomato-truffle-butter sauce and thyme risotto cake - scallops were cooked ok... i would've preferred a better sear/crust. the sauce was REALLY tasty. the risotto thing was so bland i almost didn't want to finish it. the kale under the risotto was bland as well. - pana cotta dessert - nicely done with a good balance - mint chocolate/espresso mud cake - this thing was HUGE and took a lot of effort to finish it. read more

Love Love Love this super cute place! After making the mistake of eating at Fisherman's Wharf the night before, we decided to Yelp it and find a decent seafood place. We found Passionfish here, looked at the menu on their website and decided that this was going to be our place. We were incredibly lucky to have done this because the food and service were fabulous. Plus, the sauces accompanying each dish were perfection plus 10. The fact that they use sustainable seafood is a bonus. Appetizer: We had the shrimp sushi which was absolutely amazing - the shrimp, which was served, was really buttery and fresh. The Main: Gulf of Maine Scallops/tomato-truffle butter/thyme risotto custard - scallops cooked to perfection. I literally want to lick the tomato truffle butter off the plate. Sturgeon/coconut rice/zucchini fritters/red curry vinaigrette - my friend really loved this. The sturgeon, like everything else was cooked really well and was thick and juicy. Dessert was pretty good too! We had the chocolate torte and the panna cotta. We also had some wine and tea but I forget which --- whatever they were, we really liked it too. The server was really friendly and super knowledgeable. I will definitely return if I ever stop by this area again! read more

I really, really enjoyed Passionfish. The service and menu is fantastic, as well as the wine list which is large, varied, and not excessively marked up. My first course was the Seared Scallop on an Artichoke Risotto Cake with Caper-Raisin-Walnut Relish. The scallop was perfectly cooked; oh so tender, juicy, and sweet. As a second course, the Monterey Squid Salad with Mango, Long Beans, and Red Peppers served with a Cilantro-Orange Dressing was cool and delicious. The squid was not rubbery at all, but tender and soft. The main course was Sturgeon with Coconut Rice, Zucchini Fritters, and a Red Curry Vinaigrette. This was really nice and also the first time I'd had a chance to try sturgeon. Overall, Passionfish is absolutely excellent seafood with an exciting menu and beautiful location. read more

Sooooooooo good! Everything has already been said, but I will add that they always have fantastic wines by the class. We've driven through PG more than once JUST to go to Passionfish. Thanks! read more

We enjoyed Passionfish- fresh seafood with flavorful sauces that are light and healthy. Interesting wine list at appealing prices. The ambiance is nothing special (and the bathrooms are dirty and old!), but reasonably warm and cozy....a nice place we'd probably return to, but not one of our all time favorites. read more

Really great food. I had the Borscht with Mustard seed ice cream which was great and the sturgeon, well cooked with a spicy Thai inspired sauce. I gave them four stars because they screwed up my order. I went with 6 others. When they brought out the entrees, mine was missing. The server admitted she forgot to put it in. Consequently I did not receive my food until the rest of my party was finished. It did put a negative spin on the meal but they took the meal off the bill, as they should have. She apologized so I guess that's all I could ask for. I would go back. read more

The food was ridiculous. And by ridiculous, I mean insane. And by insane, I mean phenomenal. I came to the sleepy town of Pacific Grove expecting another good but regular, run of the mill seafood spot. I was in for an unanticipated surprise. We started the meal early, at 5 p.m. Like our stomachs, the restaurant was pretty empty early on and burgeoning toward the end of the night. To start, we ordered the pork belly croquettes and the bacon wrapped figs with gorgonzola fondue. Both were incredible....both were dishes that you crave after a bad day. I had the Halibut as a main, which came with melt in your mouth potato gnocchi and an unexpectedly light and crispy mushroom and arrugula tempura. I have never had Shiitake, Portobello or Chanterelle mushrooms cooked this way...perhaps my new favorite fix? My boyfriend had the steak, which was also yum-status. For dessert, we split the Pear Bread Pudding, which was probably the highest (didn't know it could get any higher half way through the juicy, citrus infused piece of halibut) point of the meal. It was warm, carmelized, crisp at the bottom and good all the way through. The wines were of noticeable quality - the perfect finish to every savory bite we encountered that evening. The ambience is calming. Muted colors, brown paper table linings and black and white photos of sea life make the food and company the focus of the evening. Understated elegance. If you want not a good, but a GREAT meal, definitely put Passionfish at the top of your list. I always think it says a lot if you go to a restaurant and think: I would come back and order EXACTLY what I ordered the first time. No wrong turns, no "iffy" dishes. I want exactly what I ordered again and again and again. As an added bonus, Passionfish prides itself on environmental and sustainable fishing practices - ones which do not harm the green sea turtle. I love sea turtles, I love good food, I love Passionfish! read more

Been here twice with consistent results and have sent people here who echoed our experiences. We enjoyed the Goat cheese salad, yellowtail, prawns, sweet potato fries, and Shafer merlot last time, and they rocked. read more

Amazing food, very reasonably priced and a fantastic staff... what more can you ask for?? I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely come back when I'm in the area! read more

Went here couple of years ago and it was just great. I don't remember what I had but it was good.

Thank you yelpers for this find. We spent the 4th of July in Big Sur and found Passionfish via Yelp for dinner. Sustainable fish, slow cooked meat, organic greens, award winning wine list, and good beer. We wanted everything on the menu but ended up ordering the Seared Scallops, Dungeness Crab salad, Duck Confit, and the Halibut wrapped in Prosciutto. I was excited about the Halibut (and don't get me wrong, it was incredibly fresh and delicious) but the duck confit was amazing. The meat just fell off the bones and I'm salivating thinking about the crab salad. Food was fantastic and service was great! read more